1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to muzzle-loading guns and more particularly to a new and improved ramrod for use with muzzleloaders.
2. State of the Art
From cannons to small pistols, muzzle-loading weapons have been in existence for centuries. Generally, a “muzzleloader” is any weapon into which the propellant charge, i.e., gunpowder, and the projectile, i.e., bullet, that is intended to be discharged from the weapon, are loaded into the weapon by way of the muzzle, the muzzle being the forward, open end of the weapon's barrel. A muzzleloader may typically be loaded by inserting a measured amount of propellant charge into the muzzle, followed by the insertion of the projectile into the muzzle. In many cases, wadding, i.e., a piece of fabric, felt, cloth, or card, is placed around the projectile, or at least behind the projectile, such that when the projectile is inserted into the barrel the wadding is positioned between the propellant charge and projectile. Because the projectile and the wadding are generally tight-fitting within the bore of the barrel, a ramrod is utilized to drive the wadding and projectile down the barrel to ensure they are firmly seated on the propellant charge.
Due to the fact that much of the length of the ramrod must be inserted down into the barrel of the weapon to properly load the projectile and propellant charge, the ramrod is necessarily a straight cylindrical rod that has a diameter that is smaller than the bore of the barrel. Further, because the ramrod is an essential component of the muzzleloader, the ramrod may be stored conveniently near the weapon for swift and easy repeat access by the user. In the case of a rifle muzzleloader, specifically, the ramrod may be stored along the underside of the barrel by a clasp or notch into which the ramrod is inserted or otherwise secured. When needed, the user may remove the ramrod by sliding, or otherwise removing the ramrod from the clasp or notch, insert the ramrod into the barrel, repeatedly and violently jam the ramrod up and down within the barrel to properly compact the projectile and propellant charge in the muzzleloader, remove the ramrod from the barrel, and then replace the ramrod into the clasp or notch until needed again.
The straight, cylindrical structure of the ramrod and its relatively violent use in loading the muzzleloader tends to create some difficulty and discomfort to the user. In addition to this discomfort, the interaction between the ramrod and the clasp or notch that secures the ramrod to the muzzleloader may be such that the ramrod may rattle, or otherwise create unwanted noise, especially during situations where the user desires quite, such as during a hunt. Further, when a muzzleloader is repeatedly fired, powder builds up within the barrel and makes it increasingly difficult to load the projectile into the barrel.
Thus, there is a need in the field for one or more devices that can be used with a muzzleloader that address the above-mentioned problems.